Luckin Coffee, a Beijing based start-up, has opened 525 outlets across China’s major cities less than nine months after its launch. A recent $200 million funding round (valuing the company at a billion dollars) has made this coffee company one to watch. Luckin's supercharged growth plan includes cheap delivery, online ordering, big discounts, and premium staff wages. "I don't have a timeline for profit," founder Qian Zhiya said. "For us, what we care about now is the number of users and if they are coming back to us, whether they recognize us, whether we can take market share."

The company's model revolves around the smartphone; customers must have the Luckin app to order coffee, and they can only pay electronically as well, placing them in the bucket of China's so-called "new retail" trend. The company's delivery services are also heavily promoted, reflecting China’s boom in e-commerce and food delivery. Customers can order coffee via the app, watch a livestream of their order being prepared, and have it delivered to their door in less than eighteen minutes. Luckin Coffee prides itself on serving coffee that is freshly roasted and ground with high-quality Arabica beans and by putting their customer's convenience first.

- Heather Picquot